A need for social interaction pulled me back into town for a beer and a pizza next door to Cowfish. Place was hopping w/ comfortable outdoor people, like the NOLS people that are apparently recognizable as a subculture in town. NOLS is National Outdoor Leadership School started by Paul Petzolt back in the 60s(?). I admire what they stand for. I spoke w/ a young man who completed a semester of NOLS: Wow. I just entertained myself and whomever allowed me to engage them in conversation. Woman bartender moved from Deleware. I told her about White Clay and the point where 3 states share a corner. Yes! she said. She likes the west much more than back east. Lander can do it to you.
I drove back up Sinks Canyon to same camp spot in closed FS campground. Closed taking no fees because pump is chained closed and no garbage pickup. Rock face to the west of the campground is a popular rock climbing area. Sun warmed it up.
Sat AM I lollygagged to listen to Wait Wait Don’t tell Me radio show, a must for me to listen to.
After the show I pointed the van down canyon into town then heading south and climbing all into high wind warnings of 35mph gusts. Imagine an empty Kleenex box on a roller skate being buffeted by cross winds. Two hand driving, all reflexes on alert.
Next stop is Green River. I goggled bike shops and 1 displayed in Rock Springs on the way. I stopped in and visited then went next door for a local brew and watch some college football. Today is a rest day.
I followed the driving instructions to a ride outside Green River. Hey, I rode here 2 days years ago w/ a local. I drove to the first trail head for the night. I fell asleep about 11:00. I was awakened by a bright light shining into my eyes and a voice saying Police, open up. I slid out of bed and opened the side door. I accepted the voice as trustworthy. Cop told me city has a no camping on city property or something and that I was not out of the city limits. I said I thought I was in FS land. No, he said, and then he said that I could spend the night he wasn’t going to ask me to move.
Forecast for Sunday was warm sunshine w/ winds picking up around noon. My plan was to get up and at it before the winds. Turns out the trails have been legalized, signed, and mapped. I navigated as I was able to from the map because of unmarked trails or missing signs from vandalism. About 9:30 during my ride the wind picked up from where it left off yesterday.
Interesting geology
At the end of my ride I measured the wind velocity which reported strongest gust of 27mph. I rode 12.3 miles climbing 1556′. I spent time figuring out navigation.
Green River has an Anytime for a shower.
Plan is to drive down the west side of Flaming Gorge on the way to Vernal, UT. Another day of brutal winds. This side is less traveled on a state highway vs US 191 going down on the east side. This was a new road for me.
I drove onto a FS road before Vernal to a camp spot which looked like a hunters camp. Ponderosa Pine trees. Sunday night and the weekend hunters were gone.
Forecast has been calling for precip, some as snow. Douglas Pass at 8258′ is between me and Fruita. I definitely do not want to drive on snow over the pass. Therefore my plan was to get moving early and drive to Red Fleet and get my ride in, drive to Vernal to another Anytime shower, then drive over the pass b4 dark.
The Red Fleet is another BLM / IMBA partnership trail system. I used MTB project to guide me. I carried my phone in a side pocket of my hydration pack. It seemed that putting it in the tight pocket and then retrieving it the phone went to other places. I need cheater reading glasses to read the screen data. I am learning how the app works to follow a trail. I rode just 7 miles following the gpsed route. There are more trails and miles to ride that a local would understand.
I am impressed by this system. Red dirt that gets rolled hard. Nice layout, pieces of tech challenge that I walked, I did ride a bunch. I evaluate the risk of not making the feature, bailing on the caution side.
Red rock
All by myself out there. Back at the van I loaded up then drove to Vernal Anytime.
Managing my time I headed east towards CO and Douglas Pass. Not as windy.
During my first visit to Fruita I was told about the ride named Flight of the Icarus that climbed away east from the pass before dropping down the south face on a narrow rib fin then beat up jeep roads then dumped out on the highway way down on the south side. I pedaled back up to the pass gaining 2,000′ on the pavement… at the end of the ride. What I did when I was younger.
I am camped above Rabbit Valley in CO just this side of the Utah border.
Forecast calls for some precip during the week. Tomorrow I will ride Kokopelli then move into Fruita. Rain will turn the hard dirt into gumbo.